: : Does anyone know if Milk Thistle is good or bad for Hep C sufferers?

: : Also, is coffee in any way bad for the liver? (I drink quite a few cups a day, but no smoking or alchohol).

: : Thank you,

: : Gary

: Hello Gary,

: Coffee in moderation does not seem to cause any harm. Moderation is one to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day. If yiou drink a lot more than that, you will likely have withrawal if you reduce your intake. A headache is normal. Watch out for over the counter pain meds. doctors differ on what they recommend, but ibuprofen is particularly hard on the liver. Acetomenophen in small doses is most often recommended.

: : Milk thistle (silymarin) is thought by some experts to have a protective effect on the liver. There are studies ongoing to research this. It is the only herb I am aware of that experts feel is at least benign to the liver. The effect of overdose is gastric distress, but no measureable negative effect.